Luke Woodhouse has publicly appealed to darts enthusiasts to rally behind the young prodigy Luke Littler, urging the crowd to recognise and respect his exceptional abilities after the 19‑year‑old faced a wave of boos at recent tournaments. Littler entered the World Grand Prix in Leicester with the aim of defending his title, only to be eliminated in the opening round by Woodhouse, losing 2‑1.
The world number one appeared off‑form during the encounter, posting an average of just 82.41, while Woodhouse recovered from a set down to secure a last‑16 match against Nathan Aspinall. In the aftermath of his win, Woodhouse spoke passionately about the need for fans to back Littler, highlighting how the teenager has helped elevate the sport to new heights.
"Luke isn’t a robot; he’ll have days and weeks when he’s not at his absolute best," Woodhouse explained. "People keep saying it, and I’ll say it again: he’s a one‑of‑a‑kind talent, Luke Littler. I hope people will take the time to appreciate how good he is, stop giving him a hard time, and truly stand behind him.
You might never see another Luke Littler again." Earlier in September, Littler endured a hostile reception at the World Series of Darts Finals in the Netherlands, where sections of the audience booed and whistled during his opening match against Danny Noppert and again in his round‑of‑16 clash with Aspinall. The situation escalated to the point where referee Charlie Corstorphine had to intervene to calm the crowd. The 19‑year‑old even threatened to boycott future events in the Netherlands and subsequently withdrew from two Players Championship tournaments held there, before eventually bowing out of the Dutch event in the quarter‑finals to Jonny Clayton. When asked why some spectators seemed to target the back‑to‑back PDC World Darts Championship winner, Woodhouse admitted he could not pinpoint a reason.
"He’s done for the game what legends like Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Raymond van Barneveld and Gary Anderson have done, taking it to the next level," Woodhouse said. "I just hope people give him the support he deserves and recognise the top‑class talent he possesses. Sure, he wasn’t at his best tonight and he lost last week, but he will win many more titles in the future." During the match on Monday night, Woodhouse overcame an early set loss, leveling the score before launching a dominant third set. He claimed the first two legs, saw Littler respond in the third, and then closed out the deciding set 3‑1, finishing with a checkout of 75.
Reflecting on his victory, Woodhouse described his emotions as a "mix of feelings." He admitted he felt he had almost let the first set slip away, which left him angry with himself, but he also sensed that Littler was not playing at full speed. "I thought, ‘Please don’t let him lose two sets when he’s off his game.’ So, when I turned it around, it was a huge relief. I’m over the moon to beat someone like Luke on a main stage." Woodhouse added that defeating the world number one was a significant milestone, yet he remains eager to chase more titles. "It’s fantastic," he said.
"Luke will go down as one of the greats, if he isn’t already. I’m aware the format is short; you have to start strong, double in and double out quickly, so I’m not naive about that. Winning tournaments is what I’m here for." The tournament will continue with the second round spread over Wednesday and Thursday, followed by quarter‑finals on Friday, semi‑finals on Saturday, and the final on Sunday.
Viewers can watch day two of the World Grand Prix live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event from 6 p.m. on Tuesday, with daily coverage continuing through to the championship match. For those without a contract, the event is also available to stream on NOW.